Oil cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

The oil cleaner herein disclosed, utilizes in a unique manner, known characteristics of physical, chemical and electrical forces, to act upon contaminant particles suspended in a fluid, typically a lubricating oil, as the fluid is forced under pressure therethrough. The cleaner includes special passages, which affect velocities, pressures and electrical properties of the oil. Attendant phenomena attributable to differential friction, eddy currents, gravity forces and the result of particle impact on internal surfaces contribute to the cleaning action of the new device. Further cleaning efficiency of the disclosed oil cleaning apparatus is realized by the effects of electrostatic attraction on ionized colloidal particles and chemical neutralization of acids.

United States Patent 1 11 3,722,693

Stull [451 Mar. 27, 1973 [54] OIL CLEANING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Robert E. Stull, PO. Box 7095, [57] ABSTRACT Prospect, Conn. 06712 The oil cleaner herein disclosed, utilizes in a unique [22] Filed Jan 27 1972 manner, known characteristics of physical, chemical and electrical forces, to act upon contaminant parti- [21] Appl. No.: 221,233 cles suspended in a fluid, typically a lubricating oil, as the fluid is forced under pressure therethrough. The U S Cl 210/320 210/322 cleaner includes special passages, which affect veloci- [51] Int Cl H Bold zuoz ties, pressures and electrical properties of the oil. At- Field 'f 510/320 322 tendant phenomena attributable to.differential friction, eddy currents, gravity forces and the result of particle impact on internal surfaces contribute to the [56] References Cited cleaning action of the new device. Further cleaning ef- UNITED STATES PATENTS ficiency of the disclosed oil cleaning apparatus is realized by the effects of electrostatic attraction on 3,450,264 6/1969 Graybill ..2l0/32O X ionized colloidal particles and chamical neutralization of acids. Primary Ex'aminerFrank A. Spear, Jr. Attorney-Hubert T. Mandeville et al. 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I IN 2 i I? oueo OIL CLEANING APPARATUS I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In general, the contaminants found in internal combustion engine lubricants consist of metal particles, dirt particles introduced through the engine air intake, oil oxidants, water, inorganic acids, fatty acids and colloids of gum, resins and carbon. The acids and water are largely emulsified contaminants and the colloids are, to some degree, ionized. The prior art is well developed and includes a plethora of devices designed to remove one or more of these contaminants in a variety of ways. However, the prior art devices have not been entirely successful in the efficient removal of substantially all contaminants.

I SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION in a tougher lubricant, indeed one that is superior to new oil, i.e., oil that has not been circulated through the new oil cleaner. Conclusions of the new cleaners efficiency have been corroborated by independent laboratory tests and chemical analyses.

For a more complete understanding of the new oil cleaner and a fuller appreciation of its attendant advantages, reference should be made to theaccompanying drawings and following descriptions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS the outlet tube 8, supported at its lower end by a fitting 9, to return to the circulating oil pump for the engine FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred construction of the oil cleaning device of the invention; and e FIG. 2 isan enlarged cross-section, taken along line tric baffles which fill the body of the new cleaner.

, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Oil under pressure from anengine (not shown) being lubricated is introduced into the new device 20 through an inlet fitting 1 in a top cap 13. The oil to be cleaned travels downwardly through the spaces of an openly wound spacer spring 2 and then through an annular channel formed by a solid, cup-shaped baffle 3 and a concentric outside housing wall 12. After passing the lower edge of solid baffle 3, the oil tends to fill the volume occupied by a system of perforated concentric baffles 4 (which extend from a center tube 8 outwardly to the wall 12) and the sump region defined by a horizontal partition 10, the wall l2-and a bottom cap 14. After the sump region is filled, most of the oil flow tends to be through the concentric baffle system 4 and up through an orifice 5 a in the center of a plate 5 resting on the baffles 4. A funnel-shaped plate 7 supported in the upper endof an outlet tube 8, guides the oil flow through the openings between the coils of a spacer spring 6. The flowing oil then follows the dome surfaces 3a of the solid baffle 3 and exits downwardly through A-A of FIG. 1, of a'po'rtion of the outermost co'ncen (not shown).

The concentric baffles 4a are flat-walled perforated cylinders while the concentric baffles 4b are corrugated perforated cylinders. This is a simple and effective configuration lending itself to economical production. It should be understood that many other variations in the form and arrangement of the perforations or orifices 4c are, of course, possible. The main criteria in the choice of perforation array are a maximization of the performance of work on the flowing oil; a maximization of the surface area presented to the flowing oil in a minimized volume; and a minimization of the pressure drop through the system.

The arrows in FIG. 2 show a few of the many paths of oil flow and particle flow through the new cleaner. As will be understood from a consideration of FIG. 2, the flowing oil will undergo many changes of velocity and variations of pressure as it passes through the baffle system to the central axis of the cleaning device defined by the tube 8. It follows, of course, that suspended contaminant particles will be subjected to multiple impacts with baffle walls and will thus undergo multiple changes of direction. As an important aspect of the inverition, unique oil cleaning action is obtained by circu-' lation of oil through the new cleaner in the manner described. The effective contaminant removal is a nants collide with the bafflesurfaces, some will adhere thereto and be removed from the oil flow. As laminar oil flow' tends to be constricted, the outer layers (adjacent to surfaces) of oil will flow somewhat slower than the rest'of the. oil, leaving sediment behind and the lighter (freer of contamination), cleaner oil will continue to flow freely throughthe. cleanerfvortices and eddy currents tend to expel (centrifugally) heavier particles of contaminant out of the flowing stream, causing them to adhere to the baffle walls. Moreover, the

generated impact energy tends to break down emulsion globules and allows the heavier removed water particles to settle, under the force of gravity intothe lower sump region, while the non-colloidal residue is attracted to the various metals used for the baffles. Those colloidal particles which are ionized, will be electrically attracted to the metal baffles. Moreover, inorganic acids may be neutralized by the proper selection of' from the flowing oil. When the engine is not in operation and oil is at rest in the new cleaner, the sediment tends to flow down along the vertical baffle walls, under the influence of gravity, through the orifices 18 in plate and into the sump 22. The fitting and the petcock l6 permit the periodic removal of sediment and sludge, as will be understood. The fitting 17 is provided in the cap 13 to accommodate installation of a pressure gauge, if desirable or necessary. As shown, a

baffle 19 is fixed to the underside of the plate 10. The

baffle 19 functions as a check valve" to keep the sediment in the bottom of the cleaner 20 and to prevent the return to the flow of cleaned oil of any of the removed, settled contaminants.

The new oil cleaning apparatus of the invention may be fabricated in large quantities by well known manufacturing techniques and its components may be assembledquickly and easily by semi-skilled labor. As should be understood, the new apparatus is built substantially entirely from metallic components. Accordingly, the new oil cleaner should last the lifetime of an engine without the need for repair or replacement of any of its components. Thus, the new filter provides greater durability, and oil cleaning efficacy, and economy than has heretofore been available with comparably sized devices.

it should be understood that the specific oil cleaning apparatus has been described and illustrated hereinabove, for the purposes of illustration only. Certain variations therefrom may be made without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to thefollowing appended claimsin ascertaining the full scope of the invention.

Iclaim: v

LAn oil cleaning apparatus comprising,

a. a cylindrical metallic housing;

bsatop metallic cap closing off the upper end of said housing, said top cap including an entrance port;

c. a bottom metallic cap closing off the lower end of said plate upwardly of said housing;

. a plurality of concentric, cylindrical, flat-walled,

metallic baffle means supported on said plate;

. a plurality of concentric, cylindrical, corrugatedwalled, metallic baffle plates disposed alternately between said flat-walled baffle plates and in contact therewith;

. said flat-walled and corrugated baffles having a plurality of orifices therein to accommodate flow of a fluid therethrough;

. a circular, metallic baffle of diameter equal to the outer diameter of the largest cylindrical baffle and less than the inner diameter of said hqusin restin on the upper edges of said concentric cy indrica m. an inverted, cup-shaped, imperforate, metallic baffle supported on said first spacing means; the

length of the walls of said cup-shaped baffle being less than the iength of said concentric baffle walls;

. a second annular spacing means supported on said inverted, cup-shaped baffle;

. predetermined ones of said aforementioned metallic elements being fabricated from steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper and zinc;

. whereby oil under pressure entering said entrance port, traversing said baffles, andleaving said exit port'will have contaminants effectively removed therefrom.

The apparatus of claim 1, in which a dish-shaped baffle is secured to the underside of said circular plate;

. said baffle has a central opening therein to accommodate said coil spring and the disposition of sediment in the lowermost regions of said apparatus.

. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said first and second spacing means comprise circular coil springs.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes a drain port with an associated drain valve disposed in said bottom cap.

. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes a pressure gage port disposed in said top cap.

. The apparatus of claim 1, in which each of said cylindrical baffles is fabricated from a metal different from that of its adjacent baffle;

said baffles are arranged in a repeating sequence of steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper and zinc. 

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which a. a dish-shaped baffle is secured to the underside of said circular plate; b. said baffle has a central opening therein to accommodate said coil spring and the disposition of sediment in the lowermost regions of said apparatus.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which a. said first and second spacing means comprise circular Coil springs.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes a. a drain port with an associated drain valve disposed in said bottom cap.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, which further includes a. a pressure gage port disposed in said top cap.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which a. each of said cylindrical baffles is fabricated from a metal different from that of its adjacent baffle; b. said baffles are arranged in a repeating sequence of steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper and zinc. 